Telephone-switchboard



No. 620,49l. v Patented Feb. 28, I899. J. M. OVEBSHINER.

TELEPHONE SWITGHBOARD.

(Application filed Jan. 24, 1898.)

(No Mndel.)

7 OPE/7A T0173 WITNESSES INVENTOR I GROU 6.0? i. I

I ttarney I az/vm rm m: Nonms PETERS 1:0,, PNQYO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON nflcUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. OVERSHINER, OF ELWOOD, INDIANA.

TELEPHONE-SWITCHBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,491, dated February28, 1899.

Application filed January 24, 1898. Serial No, 667,769. (No model.)

in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in I telephone-switchboards, andmore particularly to the construction and arrangement of the switch anddrop device, one object of the invention being to so associate theswitch and drop devices that they can be quickly and easily operated bythe attendant, so that all the switch and drop devices for eachsubscribers line can be bodily attached to or removed from the back orsupport and at the same time make or break the several electricalconnections between the switch and dropdevices and the conductors on theback or support.

A further object is to provide simple and efficient means whereby thedrop can be antomatically restored to its normal position when the plugis inserted into the jack and so that the act of withdrawing the plugfrom the jack will result in returning the drop'to its normal positionafter said drop shall have bgfen made to fall when a subscriber rings 0I With these objects in View the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, ashereinafter-set forth, and pointed out in the claims. a

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, with theback or support in section, showing my improvements. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 4 is adetail view of the plug. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical view. Figs. 6 and 7are detail views.

A represents the back of the board, which constitutes a support for thesets of switch and drop devicesfor the various subscribers lines. Eachset of subscribers switchboard devices is mounted in and supported by aframe B, comprising end pieces 1 2 and connecting-pieces 3. A jack 4 issecured to the respective end pieces 1 2, and the end piece 1 is madewith a hole 5 to communicate with said jack for the accommodation of theplug tobe inserted into thelatter. The forward end of the jack is madewith a screw-threaded portion 7,which projects beyond the end piece 2 ofthe frame B and through the back or support A. i

An electromagnet 8 is supported by the front piece 1 of the frame B andprovided with an armature 10, from which a latch-arm 11 projectsforwardly and terminates at its free end in a hook 12, adapted to engagean annunciator-drop 13 and to retain it normally in its elevated orclosed position. The drop 13 is pivotally supported at its lower edgeand is provided on its outer face with a block or projection 14, adaptedwhen the drop falls to be disposed in proximity to the entrancejof thejack. The plug 15, hereinbefore alluded to, is provided with a handle16, which constitutes an engaging device to cooperate with theenlargement on the drop.

The handle 16 is made with an annular recess 17, having an annularshoulder 18 at one end. When the drop falls upon the calling by asubscriber, the insertion of plug into the jack will cause the shoulder18 to engage the block or enlargement 14 and restore the drop to itslatch device. When the subscribers finish with use of the line and ringoff, the drop will again fall and the block or enlargement 14. willbecome disposed in the recess 17 in the plughandle 16. As the plug isnow withdrawn from the jack by the operator, the shoulder 18 will engagethe block or enlargement and again restore the drop, so that when theplug shall have been fully withdrawn the drop will be in engagement withits latch devices.

A'contact-spring 19 is secured at one end to one side of the jack andprovided at its free piece 2 of frame B. Another contact-spring 25 issecured at one end to the jack at the side thereof opposite thecontact-spring 19. Spring-arms 26 and 27 are secured to the end piece 2of the frame B and extending inwardly pass in proximity to therespective contact-arms 19 and 25, the free ends of said spring-arms 2627 projecting through slots in the front piece 1 of frame A and beingprovided with buttons or finger-pieces 28 and 29, respectively. Thespring-arm 26 is electric ally connected with a spring-finger 30,secured at one end in a groove in the end piece 2, and the spring-arm 27is electrically connected with a spring-finger 31, similarly located inanother groove in said end piece 2.

A pin 32 is secured to the front piece 1 of frame B, so as to receivethe drop when it falls, and this pin is electrically connected with aspring-finger 33, attached to the end piece 2 in the same manner asabove explained. Anotherspring-finger3etisattached to the end piece 2 inthe same manner and is connected with the drop through the medium of aconductor 35. A bell is included in the circuit of the drop,pin 32, andcontact-fingers 33 34, so that when the drop falls the bell-circuitwillbe closed and the bell sounded.

The back or support A is provided with a series of conducting-strips a bc d 2, each having a groove f for the reception of small projections fon the respective contact-fingers, said conducting-strips being includedin the various central-office circuits-viz., the circuits of theoperators phone, the generator, and the bell.

When the structure comprising the frame B, the jack, spring-contact,orswitch devices is placed against the back or support A, the variouscontactfingers will at once make contact with the respective condnoting-strips, and thus connect the various devices in their propercircuits. A nut Q will be screwed on the screw-threaded end of the jack,and as said nut is screwed home the spring contactfingers will bedepressed and made to bear firmly at their free ends against theconducting-strips on the back or support A, and will also serve totightly secure the structure to said back or support. The screw-threadedextension of the jack also serves as a contact device for thesubscribers line-wire j, and said line-wire may be connected thereto bymeans of asmall plate 9 and a screw h.

With myimprovements when a subscriber calls central oifice theannunciator-drop will fall. into the proper jack, (restoring the drop,)and her thumb or finger will simultaneously engage the button 29, andthe same will be pressed toward the plug, whereby to press the arm 27into contact with the spring 25, and thus cause the listening-circuit tobe closed through the subscribers line and operators phone. This willenable the operator to ascertain what subscriber is wanted. The operatorwill then release the button 29 and permit the listening-circuit to beagain opened. She will then insert the plug at the other end of theconducting-cord into the jack of the subscribers line wanted and at thesame time press the button 28 toward the plug, so as to press the arm 26into contact with the spring The operator will then insert a plug latchof the drop to vibrate or drop to fall 1 while the subscriber is beingcalled. As soon as the subscriber shall have been called the operatorwill release the button 28, and thus permit the signal-circuit to beagain opened and the magnet-circuit closed. When the subscribers ringoff, the drops will again fall and the blocks or enlargement-s becomedisposed in the recesses 17 of the plug-handles. The operator will nowwithdraw the plugs, and in the act of so doing will restore the drops,as hereinbefore explained.

It will be seen that by means of my improvements the operator is enabledto ascertain the number of the subscriber wanted, call such subscriber,and connect the two lines by two movements, thus facilitating the workat the central office, it being usually necessary for the operator tomake at least four movements.

'With the devices herein set forth the operator inserts a plug andsimultaneously manipulates the listening-circuit, and then inserts theother plug and simultaneously manipulates the signal-circuit, thusmaking but two movements.

Slight changes might be made in the details of construction of myinvention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting itsscope, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise detailsherein set forth.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a jack and a drop, of a plug to enter the jackand an engaging device on the plug adapted to cooperate with the drop torestore it as the plug is inserted into the jack and also while it isbeing withdrawn therefrom, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a jack and a drop in proximity thereto, of aprojection on said drop and a plug having an engaging device thereonadapted to restore the drop by engagement with the projection thereonwhen the plug is inserted into the jack, and also when the plug is beingwithdrawn from the jack.

3. The combination with a jack and a drop having a projection thereon,of a plug to enter the jack, said plug having an engaging device tocooperate with the projection on the drop whereby to restore the latter,said plug having a recess in rear of said engaging device to receive theprojection on the drop when the drop is down and the plug is in thejack, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a support and a series of conductors thereon, ofa structure comprising a frame and the switch and drop devices of asubscribers line, a series of spring-fingers secured to said frame andelse trically connected with said switch and drop devices, and afastening device engaging said support and said structure whereby tosupport said structure and cause the spring-fingers to be pressedagainst said conductingstrips said fastening device also forming acontact device for a subscribers line, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a support and a series of conductors thereon, ofa structure comprising a frame and switch and drop devices of asubscribers line, said frame having grooves in one end, a series ofspring-fingers secured in said grooves and electrically connected withsaid switch and drop devices, and a fastening device engaging the frameand back and electrically connected with the jack of the switch devices,said fastening device constructed to hold the frame close against thesupport and cause the spring-finsecured at one end to said frame,electricalconnections between said spring-fingers and said switch anddrop devices, pro ections on and a fastening device for securing thestructure to the support and causing the springfingers to bearforciblyagainst said conducting-strips, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a jack, a drop, a latch for the drop and anelectromagnet for controlling said latch,of contact-arms secured to therespective sides of the jacks, one of said contact-arms being includedin circuit with the coils of said electromagnet, a springarm disposednear each side of the jack and having buttons on their free ends,whereby to permit them to be forced against the contact-arms, one ofsaid spring-arms being included in a listening-circuit and the otherspring-arm being included in a signal-circuit, saidlast-mentionedspring-armbeing adapted to move the cooperatingcontact-arm so as to open-circuit the magnet-coil when the signalcircuitis closed.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JAMES M. OVERSHINER.

Witnesses:

A. V. OVERSHINER, MINNIE SMITH.

